The Supreme Court has asked Karnataka to release at least 2 tmc of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, warning of “serious consequences” if it fails to release the water. It posted Tamil Nadu's petition for framing of scheme for release of Cauvery water as per the February 16 judgement for hearing. The SC also asked the Centre to file an affidavit by this week, stating the steps taken to frame the scheme. Attorney general KK Venugopal told the court that the scheme has to be approved by the Cabinet which could not meet because of non-availability of the Prime Minister.
The AG requested the court to postpone the hearing on this issue to after May 12, the date for Karnataka assembly elections. Tamil Nadu counsel Shekhar Naphade accused the Centre of playing politics over Cauvery water, saying such attitude towards the state would amount to end of federalism in the country as well as rule of law. He said that apart from the summer temperature, the temperature over Cauvery water is rising in TN. He also asked the SC, “What do we tell people of TN as no scheme is framed even two months of SC judgment on Cauvery water sharing?”
The SC had last month, asked the Centre to frame a draft scheme by May 3 for the implementation of the judgment on the distribution of Cauvery water between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. In the hearing, the Supreme Court had repeatedly told Tamil Nadu that it agrees with its grievances and criticised the Centre for not acting swiftly to frame a scheme. “You have to frame the scheme and there is no escaping this task,” it said.
In its verdict, the apex court asked the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 456-page judgment on the decades-old Cauvery dispute. It modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award of 2007 and made it clear that it will not be extending time for this on any ground.
